Outside the Echo Chamber

For Belfast Photo Festival 2024, the Naughton Gallery presents Outside the Echo Chamber, the first UK solo exhibition by Berlin-based American photographer Andrew White.

 

Shot in 2017 as part of Huck magazine’s Pivot Points: Stories of Change from Huck Photographers, the images in the exhibition were shot entirely on the Kodak Ektra smartphone. For this project, White chose to document his annual Summer tradition of travelling outside of Brooklyn (his home at the time) with a group of friends in tow, in search of swimming holes off the beaten path. Notably, 2017 was Donald Trump’s first year in office as President of the United States, and White found himself stumbling upon moments of pure Americana beyond the comfort of his liberal bubble. Outside the Echo Chamber simultaneously documents community, friendship, and togetherness whilst capturing a glimpse into a nation on the brink of significant change and discord.

 

Andrew White is a Berlin-based American photographer specialising in a blend of portraiture, documentary, and fashion photography. Born and raised in Santa Monica, California, he moved to New York City in 2011 to study Documentary Photography and Photojournalism at The International Center of Photography, after starting his career in the skateboard industry. White’s work is a playful mix of portraiture, documentary, music, and fashion. His work has been featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times, WIRED, and GQ. His commercial clients include Apple Music, Carhartt Work In Progress, and more. Since 2016, he has been one of Beyoncé’s personal photographers, capturing both her monumental tours and quieter personal moments. In 2020, White relocated to Berlin, where he continues to explore and document the nuanced interplay of cultural identities and personal stories.